No, the Utah Jazz weren't wrong to waive Jordan Clarkson when they did. The writing had been on the wall for some time, and even if the Jazz didn't get anything out of him, it was best for both sides to part ways. However, it's a shame that they did in some respect because the NBA just changed a rule that would have made Clarkson a little more entertaining: allowing him to let it fly at the buzzer.
ESPN's Shams Charania reported that unsuccessful attempted buzzer beaters no matter what quarter will be recorded as a team missed field goal, but it will not count against a player.
The NBA will implement a new change for the 2025-26 season: unsuccessful end-of-period heaves will now be recorded as a missed field-goal attempt for the team, not the player, sources tell ESPN. Those long heaves will no longer impact an individual player's percentages.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 10, 2025
This change makes sense because there have been players who are afraid of these heaves because missing them can count against their numbers. Because some clauses in NBA contracts are affected by field goal percentages, players prefer not to take those shots if they could result in missing out on hundreds of thousands of dollars.
While it's not clear as to whether or not Clarkson is one of those players, what is for certain is that back when he was a Jazzman, he had absolutely no hesitation in taking them, no matter how difficult the shot was.
Seeing that now there is nothing holding back players from shooting ridiculous heaves like those is a shame for the Jazz, because they could have seen Clarkson attempt the wildest of horse shots without any repercussions, which could have brought some entertainment value, even if the Jazz were going to lose games anyway.
At least he'll get to do it for a winner
Playing for the Knicks, who are coming off a run to the Eastern Conference Finals, Clarkson will get to showcase himself, warts and all. If there's a player who doesn't care about efficiency whatsoever, it's Clarkson. He has shown, even before his days as a Jazzman, that he does not care one iota about his field goal percentage.
It should be a fun wrinkle for the Knicks to see Clarkson be the guy who will take the most ridiculous shots at the end of quarters, as the moment does not faze him. Sure, some fans will groan at Clarkson playing hero ball, but they are better off with someone like that than not.
The Jazz probably don't regret waiving Clarkson, but if only this change had happened a year or so prior, Clarkson's end of buzzer heaves could have been a fun sight to behold!